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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Geoff Jenkins figured the punchless Milwaukee
Brewers were due for a breakout game offensively.
That's exactly what they got against an ineffective Ismael
Valdes and two relievers Sunday night.
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| Jenkins |
Jenkins had three hits, including his sixth homer in seven
games, and Jose Hernandez and Richie Sexson also had three hits
each as the Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-6.
By losing the rubber game of a three-game series with the lowly
Brewers, the Dodgers dropped 3½ games behind the NL West-leading
San Francisco Giants, who beat Pittsburgh 7-1 earlier in the day.
"It was good for us to get on the board early," said Jenkins,
whose two-run homer capped a five-run outburst in the second off
Valdes that gave the Brewers a 7-0 lead.
Valdes (2-5), making his second start for the Dodgers since
being reacquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 26, gave up eight
hits along with the seven runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Valdes, who faced the Brewers three times while pitching for the
Cubs, was booed by the Dodger Stadium crowd of 40,275 during the
Milwaukee second and again when relieved by Carlos Perez.
After Valdes retired the game's first two batters, nine of the
next 11 reached base.
"He wasn't that sharp," Hernandez said of Valdes. "I think he
looked sharper in the other outings. He threw more fastballs
today."
Said Jenkins: "I think we capitalized on the pitches he left in
the zone. I think we had a pretty good idea of how he was going to
pitch us. He left a couple pitches up that we drove."
Valdes couldn't explain his ineffectiveness.
"I just got my butt kicked," he said. "It's frustrating that
I didn't help my team. I feel bad about it. Everything was fine
with me physically. This is definitely not the end of the world."
Dodgers manager Davey Johnson also expressed frustration.
"We have to win series, there's no question about it," Johnson
said. "But we didn't pitch good."
Of Valdes, Johnson said: "He left too many out over the middle
of the plate and just wasn't sharp. But he's a fine pitcher, and
everything will be fine his next time out."
Jimmy Haynes (10-10), 0-3 with a 7.40 ERA in four previous
starts, allowed eight hits and four runs in six-plus innings to
earn his first win since July 7. He walked one and struck out a
season-high six.
Curtis Leskanic, the fourth Milwaukee pitcher, got the final two
outs for his fifth save in as many chances and second in two games.
Jeromy Burnitz, hitless in 12 previous at-bats, sliced a
two-out, two-run double in the first to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.
That was just the beginning for the Brewers, who entered the
game with a .243 team batting average and 486 runs scored -- both
big-league lows.
Haynes hit a two-run double in the second for his second and
third RBI of the season, and Ron Belliard followed with a
run-scoring single. Two batters later, Jenkins established a career
high with his 22nd homer to make it 7-0, and Sexson followed with
one of his team's seven doubles to knock out Valdes.
The Dodgers scored twice in the fifth on a fielder's choice
grounder by Perez and Tom Goodwin's run-scoring single. They added
two more in the seventh on RBI singles by Alex Cora and Mark
Grudzielanek.
Hernandez's RBI single and Henry Blanco's run-scoring double off
Gregg Olson in the ninth made it 9-4.
Grudzielanek hit a two-run single off Valerio De Los Santos in
the bottom of the inning to complete the scoring.
Perez, making his first appearance since being sent to the
bullpen, blanked the Brewers on three hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Game notes
Gary Sheffield, who jammed his right thumb while trying to
steal second in the ninth inning Saturday night, sat out the game.
Sheffield, who has a big league-leading 35 homers, hopes to return
to Los Angeles' lineup in the next day or two. ... The Dodgers
acquired Bruce Aven from Pittsburgh for a player to be named, and
optioned the 28-year-old outfielder to their Triple-A Albuquerque
farm club in the Pacific Coast League. ... Jenkins, who had three
hits for the second straight night, had 21 homers last year, his
first full big-league season. ... Hernandez also had three hits for
the second straight game. ... Dodgers reliever Antonio Osuna had
flu-like symptoms and was unavailable. ... The Dodgers traded
Valdes and 2B Eric Young to the Cubs last December for reliever
Terry Adams and two minor league pitchers. ... Milwaukee's Charlie
Hayes singled in the second to snap an 0-for-20 drought.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Giants' Estes extends winning streak to six games
RECAPS
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